The Bible That Is Free

 Genesis 31

1 He heard the conversation of Laban's sons, they were saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's; and what was our father's has given him all this abundance. 2 Jacob noticed the countenance of Laban, and it was not warm towards him as before. 3 Jehovah said to Jacob, It is time now. Return to the land of your fathers, and to your own kin; and I will be with you. 4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah, who were in the field tending his flock. 5 He said to them, I see your father's countenance is not towards me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that with all my power I served your father. 7 Your father has deceived me, he changed my wages ten times; but God ensured he did not hurt me. 8 If he said, The speckled shall be your wages; then all the flock birthed speckled. If he said, The ring streaked shall be your wages; then all the flock birthed ring streaked. 9 Thus God has taken away the cattle from your father, and given them to me. 10 It came to pass at the time the flocks conceived, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, behold, the male goats leaped on the flock, and they were all ring streaked, speckled, and grizzled. 11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, Jacob: and I said, Here I am. 12 He said, Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the male goats in the flock are ring streaked, speckled, and grizzled. For I have seen all Laban does to you. 13 I am the God of Beth-el, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land, and return to the place of your birth. 14 Rachel and Leah both answered him, Is there anything left for us in our father’s house as an inheritance? 15 Are we not accounted as foreigners by him? He has sold us, and devoured our money. 16 For God has taken away all the riches of our father, that is ours and our children's. Now, whatever God has said to you, do it. 17 Then Jacob rose up, set his sons and his wives on the camels; 18 and he led away all his cattle, all his substance he had gathered. All the cattle which he had gathered in Paddan-aram, he began to drive to go back to Isaac his father into the land of Canaan. 19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father. 20 Jacob ran away without Laban the Syrian knowing, he did not tell him he was leaving. 21 So he fled with all he had; he rose up, and passed across the River. He set his face towards the mountain of Gilead. 22 Someone told Laban on the third day Jacob had left. 23 Laban took his brethren along with him, and pursued after him for seven days' journey. He finally overtook him at the mountain of Gilead. 24 God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25 Laban reached Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent on the mountain. Laban and his brethren were encamped on the mountain of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, so that you stole away unaware to me, and carried away my daughters as captives of the sword? 27 Why did you run secretly, and stealthily go away from me? You did not tell me, so I could have sent you away with much happiness and with songs, with all manner of music of tambourine and with harp; 28 and you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Because of this you have done foolishly. 29 It is in the power of my hand to hurt you: but the God of your father appeared to me last night, saying, Watch yourself, take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30 Now, I understand you needed to leave and yearned to go back to your father’s house, yet still why steal my gods? 31 Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid I ran. For I said, he may take his daughters from me by force. 32 But whoever you find has your gods, that person shall not live. Before all our kin gathered here with us, discern for yourself what is yours in my possession, and take it. For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and then into the tent of the two maid-servants; but he could not find them. He left Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the idol, and put them inside the camel's saddle. She was sat on them. Laban looked and felt around all of the tent, but again could not find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before you; for the manner and time of women is on me. He searched, but could not find the idols. 36 Jacob grew angry, and vented at Laban. Jacob asked Laban, What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you should so hotly pursue after me? 37 So much that you have rummaged through all my belongings, what have you found of your own here? Set it here before my kin and your kin, that they may judge between us two. 38 For twenty years I have been with you; in that time your ewes and female goats never lost their young, and the rams of your flocks I didn’t eat. 39 Your animals that were torn up by beasts I did not bring to you; but I shouldered the loss of it. You required it from out of my hands, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 So it was for me; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. 41 For these twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock. In that time you have changed my wages ten times. 42 Except for the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would send me away empty handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night. 43 Laban answered to Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, these children are my children, and these flocks are my flocks. All that you see is mine: and what can I do this day to these my own daughters, or to their children they have birthed? 44 Now let us make a covenant, between me and you; and let it be as a witness between us. 45 Jacob picked up a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 Jacob said to his kin, Gather stones; and they picked up stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called the place Jegar-saha-dutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you this day. So the name of that place was called Galeed: 49 and Mizpah, for he said, Jehovah watch between us, when we are absent from each other. 50 If you afflict my daughters, and if you take other wives besides my daughters, no man may know; or see, but God is the witness between us. 51 Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold the pillar, they are placed between us. 52 This heap will be a witness, and the pillar will be a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, neither will you pass beyond this heap and pillar to harm me. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kin to eat bread with him: and they ate bread, tarrying all night on the mountain. 55 Early in the morning Laban awoke, kissed his sons and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned back to his home.

Genesis 32

1 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 Jacob said when he saw them, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. 3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau his brother, they went in to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom. 4 He told them, You are to say to my lord Esau, This is what your servant Jacob says, I have lived with Laban, and stayed there until now. 5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, men-servants, and maid-servants. I have sent messengers to ask that I may find favor in your sight. 6 The messengers returned to Jacob, they said, We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men accompany him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people that were with him, and the flocks, the herds, and the camels, into two companies. 8 He said, If Esau finds the one company, and attacks it, then the company which is left can escape. 9 Jacob said, God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, Jehovah, you are the God who told me, Return to your own country, and to your own kin. I will be good to you. 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindness, and of all the truth, which you have showed your servant. For with only my staff in my hand I passed across this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray to you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau. I fear him, else he will come and kill me, along with the mothers and their children. 12 You assured, I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, so you cannot be numbered for multitude. 13 Jacob stayed there that night, he sent a present to Esau his brother, from what he had with him. 14 The gift was two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten of their young. 16 He delivered the animals into the hands of his servants, every drove travelling by itself, and said to his servants, Pass before me, and put a space between each drove. 17 He commanded the first, When Esau my brother meets you, and asks, Whose are you? Where are you going and whose are these with you? 18 Then you will reply, they are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau, look, he too is travelling behind us. 19 He told the same instructions to the second, and the third, and all who followed the droves. In this way you are to greet Esau, when you find him; 20 say, Look, your servant Jacob is travelling behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the gifts that go before me, and then afterwards I will see his face. Perhaps he will accept me. 21 So the advance present passed across before him, and he himself stayed that night in the company. 22 He rose up that night, gathered his two wives, his two handmaids, and his eleven children. He passed across the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He sent them across the stream, and all he had. 24 Jacob was left alone; and there he wrestled a man who was with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw he was not prevailing against Jacob in the contest, he touched the hollow of his thigh. The hollow of Jacob's thigh strained, as he wrestled with him. 26 He said, Let me go, for the day breaks. Jacob said, I will not let you go, unless you bless me. 27 The man said, What is your name? Jacob, he replied. 28 He said, From now on your name will not be called Jacob, but it will be known as Israel. For you have striven with God and with men, and you have prevailed. 29 Jacob asked him, Tell me, I ask you, what is your name? He said, Why is it you ask after my name? He blessed him there. 30 Jacob called the name of the place Peniel. For he said, I have seen God face to face, and my life has been preserved. 31 The sun rose up in the sky over him as he passed across Penuel, and he limped within his thigh. 32 So from that time on the children of Israel did not eat the sinew of the hip which is within the hollow of the thigh, even to this day, because God touched and strained the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of his hip.

Genesis 33

1 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked. Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. He divided the children of Leah, those of Rachel, and those of the two handmaids. 2 He positioned the handmaids and their children at the front, then Leah and her children after them, and finally Rachel and Joseph at the very rear. 3 He himself came before them, and he bowed himself seven times to the ground, until he came close to his brother. 4 Esau ran to meet him, he embraced him, and fell on his neck. He kissed him and they wept together. 5 Esau lifted up his eyes, and he saw the women and the children. He asked, Whose are these with you? Jacob answered, They are the children God has graciously given to your servant. 6 Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 Leah with her children came near, and bowed themselves. Lastly it was Joseph and Rachel’s turn to draw close, and they bowed themselves. 8 Esau said, What is the meaning of all this company I have seen? He answered, It was to find favor in your sight, my lord. 9 Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep what is yours. 10 Jacob said, No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand. To see your face, for me, is as if I had seen the face of God, and further you was pleased to see me as well. 11 I ask you to take my gift that I have given to you; because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have more than enough. He urged him until he accepted the gift. 12 Esau said, Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you. 13 Jacob pleaded, No, my lord knows these children are tender, and the flocks along with the herds travelling here have their young. If they are overdriven today, then all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord, please, pass ahead of his servant. I will lead the company gently behind, according to a comfortable pace for the cattle that are here, and according to the pace of the children. Until I arrive and join my lord in Seir. 15 Esau said, Very well then but let me now leave with you some of the men who are with me. Jacob answered, Why what is the need? Again let me find favor in the sight of my lord. 16 So Esau returned that day home on his way to Seir. 17 Jacob journeyed his way to Succoth, there he built a house. He also made booths for all his cattle. So the name of that place became Succoth. 18 Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan. He travelled from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city. 19 He bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, he paid the price to the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money. 20 There he erected an altar, and called it El-elohe-israel.

Genesis 34

1 Dinah was the daughter of Leah, who she had birthed with Jacob, Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, who was prince of the land, saw her. He took her, lay with her, and she was humbled. 3 His soul longed for Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and he loved the woman. He spoke kindly to her. 4 Shechem said to his father Hamor, Get me this woman as a wife. 5 Now Jacob heard the man had defiled his daughter Dinah; his sons were with the cattle in the field at the time. Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 Hamor, father of Shechem, went out to Jacob to fellowship with him. 7 The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard of it: they were grieved and very angry, because he had done this foolishness to Israel and brought trouble in lying with Jacob's daughter. This thing which should not have been done. 8 Hamor fellowshipped with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. I ask you please, if you would consider, give her to him as a wife. 9 Join us, make for yourselves marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters in return to you. 10 Then you can dwell with us. All the land will be before you; stay and trade with us. You can buy all you need here. 11 Shechem said to her father and brothers, Let me find favor in your eyes, and what you ask of me I will give. 12 As for the price of the dowry and gift, ask as much as you choose and I will give according as to the amount you say to me: but please give me the woman as a wife. 13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with guile and deceit. They said these things because he had defiled Dinah their sister, 14 We cannot do this thing you’ve asked, to give our sister to one who is not circumcised; for that is a reproach to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to you. If you will become as we are, every male of you must be circumcised. 16 Then we will gladly give our daughters to you, and take your daughters as ours in return, then we can dwell with you and will become one people. 17 But if you refuse to hear us on this, to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter away with us and be gone. 18 Their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. 19 So the young man did not hesitate to do this thing, because he had great delight in Jacob's daughter. He was honored above all the house of his father. 20 Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, they greeted and met with the men of their city there, saying, 21 These men are peaceful with us; so let them dwell in our land, and trade here with us. For see this land is large enough for them; let us now take their daughters as wives, and in turn let us also likewise give them our daughters. 22 But only on this one condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to become one people. We must be circumcised, every male among us, even as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their cattle and substance, and all their beasts be ours? Only let us consent this one thing to them, then they will dwell here with us. 24 All the men of the city, that went out of the city agreed. They listened and agreed with the advice and condition from Hamor and Shechem his son. Every male was circumcised. 25 It came to pass on the third day, when all the men were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, went into the city unknown, each carrying his sword, and killed all the men. 26 They killed both Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of their swords, and removed Dinah out of Shechem's house, and left. 27 Then the sons of Jacob plundered the city of the men they had just slaughtered, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They removed their flocks and herds, their donkeys, and all that was in the city, and all what was in the field. 29 They commandeered all their wealth, along with all their little ones and the women. They took the captives and seized even everything that was in the house. 30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me so I am a stench to the inhabitants of this land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I being only a few in number, they will gather forces together against me and strike me; and I will be destroyed, I and my house. 31 They retaliated, Should he have dealt with our sister as a harlot?

Genesis 35

1 God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there, make in that place an altar to God, who appeared to you when you ran from the face of Esau your brother. 2 Then Jacob said to his household, and all who were with him, Put away the foreign gods among you, and purify yourselves. Change your garments: 3 and let us arise to go up to Beth-el. I will make an altar to God there, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me everywhere I went. 4 They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods in their hands, and the rings in their ears; so Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5 They journeyed further and a terror from God fell on all the cities that were round about them, so the people did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob and all the people who were with him, came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, also called Beth-el. 7 There he built an altar as God had instructed, and he called the place El-beth-el; because there God was revealed to him, when he had fled from the face of his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried below Beth-el under the oak: and the name of it was known as Allon-bacuth. 9 God appeared again to Jacob, when he left from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 God said to him, Your name is Jacob: but your name will no longer be called Jacob, now Israel is your name, and God changed his name to Israel. 11 God said to him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations will come forth from your loins; 12 and the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I now give to you, and your descendants after you. 13 God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him. 14 Jacob set up a pillar in that place where he had spoken to him, a pillar of stone: and he poured out a drink offering over it, and he poured oil over it. 15 Jacob called the name of the place where God had met him, Beth-el. 16 They journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some distance to go before reaching Ephrath: and Rachel went into a hard labour, and had much distress. 17 It came to pass, when she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, Fear not; for now you have another son. 18 It so happened, as her soul was departing for she died, that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father renamed him Benjamin. 19 So there Rachel died, and was buried along the way to Ephrath, also known as Bethlehem. 20 Jacob set up a pillar on her grave: this is the Pillar of Rachel's grave even to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on, and then spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 It came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah were Reuben who was Jacob's first born, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid were Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid were Gad and Asher. These are all the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram. 27 Now Jacob came to Isaac his father in Mamre, Kiriath-arba, known as Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 The days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years. 29 Then Isaac gave up the ghost, and died there, he was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons buried him.

Genesis 36

1 Now these are the generations of Esau, also known as Edom. 2 Esau took for himself wives from the daughters of Canaan. Adah was the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah was the daughter of Anah, who was the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. 3 Another wife was Basemath she was Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah gave birth to Eliphaz; and Basemath gave birth to Reuel; 5 Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives, his sons, and his daughters, all the souls of his house, the cattle, and all the beasts, everyone of his possessions, which he had gathered and owned in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their substance was too great for them to be close together; and the land of their nativity could not bear them both because of the great numbers of their cattle. 8 Esau lived in mount Seir: Esau is also known as Edom. 9 These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz who was the son of Adah, wife to Esau, Reuel who was the son of Basemath, wife to Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son; and she gave birth to Amalek. These all are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were all the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These were the sons of Oholibamah who was the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, wife to Esau: she gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz who was the first-born of Esau were chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek. These are the chiefs that descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; all these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, and chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs that descended from Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, wife to Esau. 18 These are the sons of Oholibamah, wife to Esau: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These are the chiefs who descended from Oholibamah, she was the daughter of Anah, wife to Esau. 19 These are the sons of Esau, also known as Edom, and these are their chiefs. 20 These are the names of the sons of Seir, the Horite, the inhabitants of the land were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer and Dishan. These are the chiefs who descended from the Horites, the children of Seir who lived in the land of Edom. 22 The children of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the children of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam. 24 These are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the same Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, while he was feeding the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, she was the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Cheran. 27 These are the children of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. 28 These are the children of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs that descended from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30 chief Dishon, chief Ezer, and chief Dishan. These are the chiefs who descended from the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir. 31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the children of Israel. 32 Bela, the son of Beor reigned in Edom; and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab, the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Then Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned after him. 35 Then Husham died, and Hadad, the son of Bedad, who killed Midian in the field of Moab, reigned after him. The name of his city was called Avith. 36 Then Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned after him. 37 Then Samlah died, and Shaul, of Rehoboth located by the River reigned after him. 38 Then Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor reigned after him. 39 Then Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned after him. The name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, she was the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab. 40 These are the names of the chiefs who descended from Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: chief Timna, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41 chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 chief Magdiel, and chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their locations in the land of their possession. This is Esau, the father of the Edomites.

Genesis 37

1 Jacob lived in the land of his father, within the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock along with his brothers. He was a young man working with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, the two handmaid wives of his father. Joseph brought a negative report against them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all of his children, because he was the son of his old age. He made him a coat of many colors. 4 His brothers saw their father loved him more than all of the rest of them; and they hated Joseph for it, they could not speak peacefully with him. 5 Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers. After hearing it they hated him all the more. 6 Joseph said to them, Hear me please, and I will tell you this dream I have dreamed. 7 In it we were binding sheaves in the field, my sheaf arose, and stood upright; but your sheaves came round mine. Your sheaves humbled themselves to my sheaf and bowed. 8 His brothers said to him, Will you indeed reign over us? Or even indeed have dominion over us? They hated him still more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 Joseph dreamed a further dream, and again told it to his brethren. He said, Behold, I have dreamed another dream, this time the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed to me. 10 He told it to his father, as well as to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said, What is this dream you have dreamed? Will I, your mother and brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to you, the earth? 11 His brothers envied him; but his father kept these thoughts and words in mind. 12 His brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, Your brothers are feeding the flock in Shechem? I will send you to them. Joseph answered, Here I am. 14 He spoke further, Go now, see whether it is well with your kin, and well with the flock; then come back to bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 A certain man found him wandering in the field. The man asked him, What are you seeking? 16 He answered, I am looking for my brothers. Do you know where they are feeding the flock? 17 The man said, They have gone from here; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan. 18 They saw him yet afar off, and before he got close to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said one to the other, Look, this dreamer comes. 20 Come now let us kill him, and throw his body into one of the pits. We will say, An evil beast has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams. 21 Reuben heard of their plans, and delivered the young man out of their hands. He said, Let us not take his life. 22 Reuben said to them, Shed not his blood; instead throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not harm him. So that he could deliver him from them, to restore him to his father. 23 It came to pass, when Joseph had come close to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him; 24 then they took him, throwing him into the pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it at the time. 25 They sat down to eat bread, and they looked into the distance. There was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, their camels were carrying spices, balm and myrrh, taking it down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there in it for us if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites, let not our hands harm him; for after all he is our brother, our own flesh. His brothers agreed with him. 28 Midianite merchants passed by their way, Israel’s sons drew Joseph up, and lifted him out of the pit. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Joseph was taken to Egypt. 29 Reuben returned to the pit; but alas Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes in despair. 30 He returned to his brothers again, and said, The child is not here; and now where can I go? 31 They took Joseph's coat, killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in to the blood. 32 Then they sent the coat of many colors, and brought it to their father, they said, We found this coat, do you know whether it is your son's coat or not? 33 Yes he knew, and confirmed, It is my son's coat, an evil beast has surely devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces. 34 Jacob tore his garments, and clothed himself in sackcloth on his loins, he mourned for his lost son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters tried to console him; but he refused to be comforted. He said, Now I will go down to Sheol to my son in mourning, and his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officers, the captain of the guard.

Genesis 38

1 It came to pass at that time, Judah left his brothers, he went to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her, and went in to her. 3 She conceived, and gave birth to a son; and he called his name Er. 4 She then conceived again, and gave birth to another son; and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she gave birth to a son, and this time called his name Shelah. They were at Chezib when she went into labor. 6 In time Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, her name was Tamar. 7 Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah. So Jehovah killed him. 8 Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother for her. Raise up seed for your brother. 9 But Onan knew the child would not be his; so it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, he spilt it on the ground, so he wouldn’t give a descendant to his brother. 10 This thing he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, so he killed him as well. 11 Then Judah told Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in your father's house, until the time Shelah my son has grown up. For he said to himself, He may well also die, like his brothers. Tamar did as asked and went to live in her father's house. 12 In the process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah went up from there to his sheep-shearers in Timnah, both he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite. 13 Tamar heard, Look, your father-in-law has gone up to Timnah to shear his sheep. 14 So she removed her garments of widowhood, covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself. She then sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah. She had noticed Shelah was grown up, but she had not been given to him as a wife. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot; seems as she had covered her face up. 16 He went over to her by the way, looking for comfort. He said, Come now please, let me go in with you. He did not know who she was, that she was his daughter-in-law. She answered, What will you give me, so you may come in to me as payment? 17 He said, I will send you a young goat from my flock. She bartered further, Will you give me a pledge, until you send it to me? 18 He said, What pledge can I give you? She said, Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand. He gave them over to her, and then went in with her, and it came to pass she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose, and went her way. She removed the veil she was wearing, and again put on the garments of her widowhood. 20 Judah sent the young goat from his flock as promised, by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge back from the woman. But she was not there to be found. 21 He asked the men of that place, Where is the prostitute, who was in Enaim by the side of the road? They answered, There has never been a prostitute here. 22 The man returned to Judah, and told him, I have not found her; further the men of the place said, There has never been a prostitute here. 23 Judah said, Let her keep the pledge, or else we will be laughed at to shame. Look, I sent this goat, and you were unable to find her. 24 It transpired that after about three months, word came to Judah, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and even more, look, she is now with child by whoredom. Judah said, Bring her here, and let her burn. 25 When she was brought in to their presence, she sent word to her father-in-law, saying, By the man who these belong to I am with child. Discern, I ask you, do you know whose these are, the signet ring, the cords, and the staff? 26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, She is more righteous than I. For I never gave her to Shelah my son. Judah never knew her again. 27 It came to pass in the time of her travail, twins were in her womb. 28 Further when she travailed, one put out a hand. The midwife took the hand and bound on it a scarlet thread, saying, This one came out first. 29 But then it came to pass, he drew back his hand again, and behold, it was his brother came out first. She said, How have you made a breach for yourself? Therefore his name became Perez. 30 Afterwards his brother was also born, the one who originally was wearing the scarlet thread on his hand. His name was called Zerah.

Genesis 39

1 Joseph was taken down to Egypt. Potiphar who was an officer of Pharaoh's, he was the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, he bought him from the Ishmaelites. Then he had him brought down to his residence. 2 Jehovah was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 His master saw Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all he did to prosper in his hand. 4 Joseph found favor in his sight, and he ministered to him: and his master made him overseer over all his house, and everything he had he put into his hand. 5 It came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over everything that he had, Jehovah blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of Jehovah was on the total of what he had, in the house and in the field. 6 He left all he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew and worried for nothing that was happening, except the bread which he ate. Joseph was nice looking, and well-favored. 7 It came to pass after these things, his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Look, my master does not know what it is that is done in this house, he has placed all he has into my hand. 9 No one is greater in this house than I. Neither has he kept anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 It came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph again day after day, that he did not listen to her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11 It came to pass on a certain day, that he went into the house to do his work; and there was no men of the house inside. 12 She caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. But he ran out and left his garment in her hand. 13 When she saw he had left his garment in her hand, and had ran from her, 14 she called to the men of her house, and lied to them, saying, See, my husband has brought in a Hebrew to this house to mock us. The slave came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 When he heard my voice cry out, he left his garment by me, and ran away. 16 She kept his garment by her, until the master came home. 17 Then she told him these same words, The Hebrew servant, you brought in to this house, came in to mock me, 18 as I cried out with my voice, he left his garment by me, and ran out. 19 When his master heard these words from his wife, she told him, saying, After this manner your servant acted towards me; he grew very angry. 20 Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound. So Joseph was left there in the prison. 21 But Jehovah was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and he gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatever they did there. Joseph oversaw all of it. 23 The keeper of the prison minded nothing under his authority, because Jehovah was with Joseph; and all he did was made to prosper by Jehovah.

Genesis 40

1 Afterwards it came to pass, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was very angry against his two officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. 3 He locked them in the house of the captain of the guard, under his stewardship, inside the prison, the same place where Joseph was bound. 4 The captain of the guard charged Joseph with the responsibility of their keep, and so he ministered to them: and they were confined a season inside. 5 They each dreamed a dream - both of them. Each man his own dream, in one night, each man dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison dungeon. 6 Joseph came in to them in the morning, and he saw they looked sad. 7 He asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him inside the prison in his master's house, saying, Why do you look so sad today? 8 They answered him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. Joseph said to them, Interpretations belong to God. Please tell it me. 9 The chief butler told his dream to Joseph, he said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 10 and from the vine came three branches. It was as if it budded, and its blossoms sprang forth. The clusters harvested into ripe grapes, 11 In the dream, Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. I took some of the grapes, and I pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, then I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 12 Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of your dream: the three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your former office. Then you will again give Pharaoh his cup into his hand, after the former manner when you was his butler. 14 But please remember me when this happens for you and you are well, and show kindness, I ask you to me. Make mention of me to Pharaoh, and save me from this jail house. 15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing wrong, fitting for them to put me in such a place as this dungeon. 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he also said to Joseph, I too was in my dream, and, behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17 In the uppermost basket there was all manner of baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds flew down and ate from out of the basket on my head. 18 Joseph answered him, This is the interpretation of your dream: the three baskets are also three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will take you from this place, and will hang you on a tree. Then the birds will dine on your flesh from off you. 20 It came to pass on the third day, it was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a great feast for all his servants. On this day he called to the prison for the chief butler and the the chief baker to be brought before his servants. 21 He then restored the chief butler to his previous butlership again; and he presented the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler didn’t remember Joseph, instead he forgot him.